DALTON, Ga. — A 16-year-old male who was found dead outside of a home on East Walnut Avenue on Sunday had left a group home and the supervision of the state Department of Juvenile Justice (DOJJ) in Columbus late Friday night or Saturday morning, Sheriff Scott Chitwood said.

According to a press release from Chitwood, “The juvenile was in the co-care of the Division of Family and Children Services and DOJJ due to the juvenile not having a legal guardian.” The press release said he became a ward of the state on Feb. 7, 2018, and “absconded” from the group home in Columbus.

The name of the deceased has not been released because he is a juvenile.

Capt. Paul Woods with the sheriff’s office said on Sunday that there was no visible trauma to the body or “apparent cause of death.” The body was sent to the state crime lab for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

“The sheriff’s office will not rule out foul play until the ongoing investigation and the medical examiner’s report have both been completed,” Chitwood said in the press release.

The press release said the juvenile was detained at the Regional Youth Detention Center on Dec. 12 and was then transferred to a group home in Columbus on Jan. 22 before leaving on Friday or Saturday.

Juvenile arrest records and Juvenile Court documents are not open records under state law and are sealed from public release.

The body of the juvenile was found Sunday around noon lying face down near the front porch of a home at 3111 E. Walnut Ave. Woods said the juvenile was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. The press release said he was not wearing shoes or socks. Overnight temperatures in Dalton dipped to a low of 21 degrees on Sunday, according to accuweather.com.

According to Woods, the owners of the home had no connection to the teen.